I've been working on and off in a resource page for artists for a long time and recently finished one of the seccions. I'll be updating more often there, but anyways, make sure to subscribe to my mailing list for notifications.

The plan is to put all my favorite tutorials, websites, articles, videos, materials and tools in a list, easy to find for anyone interested.

When we work for someone else, be it a giant company or a neighbor who wants a portrait of all of their dogs, the 20 of them, it's a matter of time before you start to feel a little empty inside. I'm sure many of us would not even consider working for someone if money was not a problem. As creators, we always have stories to tell, things we want to do, personal projects that we want to develop. And the fact that many times, the work is similar to the one before it or cliché after cliché does not help at all.

That's where the title of the article comes in. One way to continue to have the strength to get up every morning to go to your desk and paint "Random knight 110" is to find something personal in that illustration that motivates you, that you feel it is something you have to do, what you need for yourself as an artist. Sometimes there is not much to get out of, especially with those clients who do not give you any freedom. In those cases, I usually focus on the technical aspects. If there is something I want to improve, a brush that I want to use more often, if I want to work faster and I need to find those points where I lose time. There I focus my attention.

Other cases, such as the painting I want to talk about, there is a lot of space to create more "honest" things. This illustration is one of those works where the line between personal and commercial are very diffuse for me.

At the moment of reading the description of this commission I felt a very special connection with the subject. A warrior who mourns the loss of his dinosaur companion.A little backhistory, less than a year ago, I lost my little pet, a dachshund. It lived with my family in Cuba and one of the reasons why I traveled that year was knowing the news of how bad he health was at the time. He was very old for his race and once they start to get bad there is not much that can be done for them. Unfortunately, I didn't get there in time, he died a week before I arrived to Cuba.

It was a bit difficult to face that memory again, but it helped me to focus on the image from a very personal perspective.

I started with two sketches, for this illustration it was clear which of the two worked better. I know that in other previous posts I have spoken that if there is one that you like above the others, just send that one. But I already have experience working with this art director to know that she has similar tastes and I prefer, whenever I can, give alternatives, just in case there is something from the other sketch that interests her to use in the final. Maybe she doesn't like the pose of one, but she likes the design of the character, or the scale of values etc

There were couple of stressful moments, especially to maintain the balance between details and readability. From the sketch to the final illustration it does not change much in general aspects, only slight adjustments in the warrior's pose. In the sketch he is less vulnerable, he takes a second to say goodbye, as if he were passing by. In the second, he is more in the moment, he takes his time, he wants to say goodbye to someone important. I also changed the type of helmet, to see his face better and closed the eye of the dinosaur to avoid calling so much attention from the center of interest. Below the timelapse of the illustration.

In part, it's a very rare feeling to connect so much with a commissioned piece for a product, to leave a piece of you in something as big as Magic. But on the other, I'm glad to have received this card in particular, which in a very special way helped me to say goodbye to my little one.

Starting with the updates, here are a new set for Legend of the Cryptids. Little to add, do not forget to expand the images and if you are interested in the lore of the cards, you will be able to find it in the description of each one.

Despite moments of liveliness, the prince was afflicted with an illness that would soon take his life. The only one who could spare him from an all-too-brief existence was his mother, Lignesia. She held a royal heirloom known only to those who wore the crown, the "Life Musket," that transferred the vital force of whomever pulled the trigger into the target. This would rid the prince of his disease, but result in Lignesia's death. Even so, it was a worthy sacrifice in her eyes...

The castle of the tenderhearted Queen Lignesia was ever the picture of love and comfort. She doted upon her son, spending every available moment with him. Her subjects thought it was simply her matronly nature, but the circumstances were more tragic than any could imagine. The two would soon part ways for eternity, and the only one who knew of this was her...

To continue with this kind of chronological order, last month I was in Seville at a Workshop by Marko Djurjevick at La Galería Roja. It was awesome, the guy is like a totem of knowledge, I'm really eager to apply all the new points of view in my work. Hopefully for the better.

The other news (I suppose it is not so much if you follow me on social networks, but oh well (?)) Is that at last I can say officially that I am working for Wizards of the Coast , I started more than a year ago, but my first cards have been published for the game only a couple of months.

At the end of July, at last I opened the store on the page, it is still a work in progress, but little by little I will be supplying it with more interesting items. For now, I have some prints and artist proofs of my cards published with Magic. Which by the way, I'm enjoying them like a kid. More on that later!

Lastly, on September 1st, 2nd and 3rd, I will be at the Grand Prix of Turin, Italy, as a guest artist, signing cards, selling prints and in particular, a live demo. If you are from the area come to say Hi!